France says EU could agree trade deal with UK in next few days

France is hoping for negotiators from the European Union and the U.K. to take the leap required to seal a trade deal within days, according to European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune.

“We hope to see an agreement in the next few days,” Beaune said at a press conference in Madrid.

With time running short to ratify any agreement before the U.K. leaves the EU single market on Dec. 31, momentum is building for a pact this week.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also suggested that the final pieces of an agreement could fall into place this week.

All the same, speaking on the sidelines of the briefing, Beaune cautioned that the two sides remain at odds over fishing rights and there is a lot of work to be done for a deal.